A Calormene Secret
by Liseegirl
Summary: Corianda has a secret. A secret she doesn't want anyone in her new life to know. But will a certain king be able to get it out of her, or will she bear it alone, the secret of all of Calormen.
1. The History of Me

A Calormene Secret

Chapter 1: The History of Me

I was born in the city of Tashbaan in the first year of year of the reign of the Tisroc, may he live forever. At my birth I was dedicated to Tash, the inexorable, the irresistible. I was christened Corianda Maleca, which means, "Tash is my protector." My mother, whom I have never met, did not approve of the name, for she was a star. I am told her name was Arikanna, which means, "Aslan be praised," and she was unfailingly loyal to the Lion.

According to the people who met my mother on the one occasion that she entered the gates of Tashbaan (for my birth and dedication six days later), I resemble her very strongly. She had the same color hair as I have, black as a raven's wing. She also boasted the streaks of silvery-blue hair that I take great pride in. My complexion is slightly darker than hers, due to my lineage, and her eyes were the same pale blue as my own.

However, my own arms are stained with henna tattoos, which is a tradition for maidens in Calormen. The blue and black ink riddled my fair skin, which is a rarity in Calormen, with designs that held a strange and mystical beauty and foreboding. According to a priestess of Tash, these tattoos ensure a good marriage, many children, and a long, happy life. In other words, I was forever under the blessing of the god Tash.


	2. The Dream

**Hello! I intend to update once every day, or at least once every week. This is my first fanfic, so all advice is appreciated!**

Chapter 2: The Dream

It was on a bright, spring evening when the adventure of a life time began.

I was sitting in my bedroom (which served as a prison, of sorts), which towers high above the towers, houses, and markets of Tashbaan. I watched as several soldiers preformed the nightly ceremony of closing the city gates. The sun was just beginning to set, and the hustle and bustle of Market Square was slowly dying away. Merchants were closing their shops, and the slave traders were tying and gaging their captives.

Before I sat down to watch this, I had bathed, and brushed and braided my hair. My long ebony hair smelled of the strange spices that scented my soap. I dressed for bed and lay down. I tossed and turned, but I finally drifted off into dreamland….

_I woke up in a forest! It was filled with gigantic trees that waved their long, green arms at me, as if in greeting. In fact, I could have sworn that I saw one of them smile at me! I gazed in wonder at all the beauty around me. I wandered through the trees. _

_Suddenly, a beautiful bird called from a nearby tree. He was a beautiful purple with green and orange hues mixed among his plumage. He seemed to be singing a lullaby. The tune was so beautiful that I wanted to curl up and go to sleep underneath the towering elm-like tree in which he was roosting._

_I continued through the forest, weaving my way like a thread and needle. When I finally reached a circular clearing, I looked up at the glorious clear blue of the sky. I sighed in wonder as I realized, for the first time, that I had never seen a truly blue sky before. _

"_Where am I?" I wondered aloud._

"_You are in My Country, Beloved Daughter."_

_I turned to see where the voice had come from, and what I saw made my heart stop in my chest! It was the largest, most beautiful lion I had ever seen. Although this was true, I had the strangest feeling I had met him before. Where, I did not know, though I felt as if it was right on the tip of my tongue._

"_Who are you?" I breathed._

"_I am who I am," he replied, in his strong, calming voice._

"_What is happening?" I asked in bewilderment._

"_Beloved," he said, "I t is time for you to leave the land of your ancestors. The danger here is growing to grave. You must flee from this place. You must journey north, across the Great Desert to the land of Archenland. There you will find your dear old friend, Aravis. She will guide you from there to the place of the Four Thrones._

"_But, how will I find Aravis?"_

"_That, Beloved, is a question you must answer for yourself."_

"_But…"_

"_Good-bye, Beloved. We will meet again soon."_

_As he said this, he began to disappear._

"_Wait!" I screamed._

"_Good-bye," he breathed._

Suddenly, the dream dissolved, and I sat up quickly. My arms were covered in a cold sweat. I was not at all sure what had just happened, but I knew one thing for sure: I had to run!

**Enter Aslan! I hope that you enjoyed that! Please continue to read and review; all reviews are appreciated!**


	3. The Runaway

**Hey everyone! I hope you like this new chapter! Enjoy!**

Chapter 3: The Runaway

I decided that it would be best to wait until the next evening to follow the Lion's orders, because it was almost daylight when I awoke, and everyone know that it is not logical to run away when the sun's pounding rays could give you away.

I sat on my bed, thinking of all that I had been told. It suddenly occurred to me that I had never thought to disbelieve what the lordly creature had said to me. That thought quickly disappeared as the sound of trumpet blasts resounded through the air.

I ran to the one window that served as a passageway out of my prison-like tower. As the gates to Tashbaan were drawn open, I saw, to my horror, the beginnings of preparations for the worst feast (in my opinion) on the Calormene calendar.

It was the feast of Shatana, also known as Shatana's Week. Shatana is the "Wife of Tash," and she is the blood-thirsty goddess of war, death, and revenge. Her festival consisted of tournaments between gladiators and the "Secret Sacrifices." This year, I had the strangest feeling that I was going to be a victim of this horrible practice.

I shook that thought out of my head. I knew that I had to gather supplies for my journey _and _create an escape plan, all before the sun set. I had an estimated twelve hours to do so, and I began at once.

I decided that to cross the desert, I would need a horse, changes of clothes, and a two weeks supply of food. I decided to focus on gathering these things, and when night fall came, I would leave.

As the sun set behind the great Northern Mountains, I looked around my room. I knew in my heart that this was the last time I would see it, but I squared my shoulders and began my descent through my window with the help of a rope, of course.

As soon as I had escaped my room, I ran to the stables to fetch the horse I had acquired by bargaining with one of the servants. As I mounted Arabian Night, I looked once more over the tower that had been my home for sixteen years. Then I eased my horse into a walk towards the river.

When we reached the river, I decided that it would be best just to swim straight across it. After quite some time, we finally reached the other side, Arabian Night was exhausted. I let him rest for an hour or two, and then we continued slowly north.

I shuddered as we passed through the Tombs of the Ancient Kings. I remembered hearing the servants telling stories at night outside my room. They were stories of the ghosts and ghouls who haunted the Tombs, waiting in doorways to scare people literally to death. Riding through here at night was not my cup of tea, but I knew that I must press on.

As daylight came and we left the Tombs, I realized that we would now have to hurry, or would be caught as runaways, and sentenced to severe punishment. So, I eased Arabian Night into a gallop over the sands of the Great Desert as the great city of Tashbaan faded to a speck behind me.

**Thank you guys so much for your great reviews! Please continue to read and review!**


	4. The Chase

**Hey Everyone! Sorry it has taken me so long to upload! I had writer's block for over a month, but I finally sat down and worked it out. So hear is the product of a month of painful plotting. I hope you enjoy it! **

Chapter 4: The Chase

The sun beat down upon me like the eyes of the all-seeing god, Tash….if he even existed. I just wasn't sure anymore. I always knew that I was a thorn in my father's side. In fact, I'm pretty sure he hated me….or at least he didn't love me. But the servants were always kind to me. They had told me stories from the time I was little, and there was always the underlying theme in the stories: Tash was lord, king, and was to be feared and respected. Above all, he was **_real_**, and then there was _Him._ Aslan, I mean.

All the stories told about Aslan said that he was the exact opposite of Tash. He was an evil demon whom took the form of a lion. His servants were either possessed or demons themselves.

Suddenly, I realized the one thing that had always bothered me about the tales the servants had told me about Aslan: my mother served him. Was she possessed? No, she couldn't be. I just couldn't believe that. I knew that she definitely was not a demon. Even though I'd never met her, I loved her. She is the reason I am who I am. She was no demon.

While I was lost in thought, something had snuck up to my left. It lurked on the edge of some craggy rocks. What was that thing? It moved like a cat, but it didn't look like one. I was scaly and green, but it had a lot of coarse, long red hair. A certain Calormene myth came flooding back to me, and prompted me to urge Arabian Night into a dead gallop. I knew that the creature had a reputation for roasting people alive, and I did not want to find out what that felt like.

As Arabian Night raced over the desert sands, which now shone silver in the moonlight,

I heard the creature following at a speed nearing that of lightning. I leaned forward and whispered a silent request.

_"Aslan," _I pleaded, _"If you can hear me now, please help us!"_

Just as I uttered this, the creature pounced. I closed my eyes and prepared for the end, but the weight I had expected to hit me full-force never came. Instead, I heard the creature whine and race off in the opposite direction.

I blinked my eyes, and looked. To my left, there stood a beautiful, golden lion. I could have sworn that he smiled at me, but he couldn't have, could he? I mean, he was just a lion, but this particular lion looked very familiar. I shrugged it off as a coincidence, as the lion took off toward….a mountain?

I looked again, closer this time. There was a small crevice between two mountains. The gap was barely visible to the human eye, but I realized that the lion was leading me into the crevice. I didn't know why, but I realized I had to follow him. I took off after the lion and headed towards the gap in the rock. I suddenly felt that this gap was the gateway to a new future for me, a future I couldn't wait to discover!

**Please continue to read and review! :)**


	5. So What Now?

**Hey! So I'm out of school now, so my updates will probably be more frequent! I hope you enjoy this next installment!**

Chapter 5: So What Now?

As the sun rose in the sky after a long and treacherous night, I took in my surroundings. The crevice became wider as Arabian Night and I drifted slowly down it. I was now able to see that green grass bordered the path on either side. There were beautiful trees of all shapes, sizes, and colors, and the birds! The only birds I had ever seen were the dingy old crows that came to beg at my windowsill, but these were birds of all different colors and sizes. There were bright purple, red, green, orange, and yellow hues surrounding me. The songs that they sang were unlike any other. All the lyres at the festival of Tash, the inexorable, the irresistible, could never compare to the concert that I had unwittingly stumbled upon on this glorious morning.

In all my reveling, I had missed a huge detail: all these things needed water to survive. I suddenly realized that I was very thirsty. My canteen was empty, and I was sure that Arabian Night needed a drink, so I looked around for a stream, and it turned out that I had been following one for quite some time now.

As my eyes fell on the glorious, cool blue running water, I nearly screamed in delight. Never had I been so happy to see running water in all of my life. I slowed Arabian Night to a stop near the bank of the stream, and I plunged in.

"Oh!" I sighed, as the cool water washed over my boiling hot skin. My skin was blistered from the long hours of the sun's cruel glare. Unlike the other inhabitants of my former home, I burned easily in the sun. My skin was almost as pale as a northerner's, and since I had been hidden away from the world in my tower, my skin had not become accustomed to the intense, burning rays of the sun.

I reluctantly pushed myself up on the bank after much joyous splashing. Arabian Night had drunk his fill of water, and was now gnawing away happily at the fresh grass. I smiled at him. I did love this horse. He was the gentlest, yet the most protective, horse I had ever met. He looked back at me with just as much love and caring as, I hoped, he saw in my eyes. When this journey was over, I was definitely going to give him as many carrots as he could scarf down.

Groaning in pain form the sunburn and hard riding, I climbed back on Arabian Night. I had this feeling that we were getting even closer to our new home, and I couldn't wait to see it. However, I also wondered what was going on back in Tashbaan. Had any one noticed that I was gone? Were the servants worried about me? And what of Lebin? Did he miss me as much as I missed him? Arabian Night snorted, drawing me out of my daydreams.

"You're right," I said to him, as I eased him into a trot, "We need to get going."

As night settled in and the birds hushed, we were nearing our goal. A huge castle loomed above us, and we moved ever closer to it.

_"This must be the place of the Four Thrones the Lion mentioned in my dream. I mean, it __**is**__ a castle, after all. But what about Aravis? I was supposed to meet her before I arrived here. Well, I guess the only thing to do is get a good night's rest and brave the castle tomorrow."_ I thought to myself.

I dismounted and made camp for the night. I planned it perfectly. The next morning I would rise early and put on my best dress (the one my mother left for me after I was born). I would clean up, and try to make myself presentable, and then march straight up to the castle doors and knock. I settled into bed feeling content with my plan.

The next morning, I rose and did exactly as I planned. I dressed and washed my face with what little water was left in my canteen from the stream. As soon as I was ready, I marched down the hill.

"_I trust you, Aslan. Help me not to mess this up, please, I'd really appreciate it." _I silently whispered.

When I reached the door, I swallowed.

_"Okay, here goes nothing."_

I knocked, and when a guard came to the peep hole, I said, "My name is Corianda Maleca, Tarkeenah of Tashbaan, and I am here on business to this wonderful castle called….?"

"Anvard," the guard answered, as he ran off to tell their majesties of the visiting royal.

**Since her journey alone (besides her horse) is over, my chapters will probably get a lot longer due to dialogue. As always feel free to read and review! I really appreciate it!**


	6. Friends and Far Away Lands

_**Hey all! It's been a crazy summer, so I haven't had much time to write. So here's my latest installment, enjoy! :)**_

Chapter 6: Friends and Far Away Lands

The guard returned quickly.

"My lady," he said, "You are most welcome in the court of his majesty, King Lune of Archenland, and their highnesses, Prince Cor and Princess Aravis.

_"Aravis?" _I thought. "Sir, do you mean that Aravis Tarkeenah of Calormen is a _Princess_ at this castle?"

"Why, yes, of course," he smiled, "In fact, she will become Queen as soon as our beloved King Lune departs for Aslan's Country."

"Queen?" I asked.

"Yes, my lady. She wed the heir to the throne of Archenland, Prince Cor, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Lion, about a year ago. In fact, she is expected to give birth to his child, the future monarch of Archenland, within the month." As he was saying this, he gestured for me to enter the castle. He took me down the hall towards the throne room. As we reached the huge and magnificently crafted doors, what he said hit me.

"Aravis is pregnant!?" I exclaimed, just as he flung the doors open.

"Yes, I am, actually," Aravis said with a smirk.

"May I present her ladyship, Corianda Maleca Tarkeenah of Tashbaan." The guard announced and shut the doors behind me.

Aravis struggled to her feet, due to her greatly protruding stomach. She wobbled down the stairs that connected to the dais. When she reached me, she engulfed me in a huge hug.

"Corianda!" she squealed, "It's great to see you! But how did you get here?"

"Um….my father sent me on an, um, diplomacy trip, so to speak."

"Oh, I see…..oh, but you haven't met my husband yet. Corianda, this is my husband, Prince Cor. He was once a servant boy among our people, and when I ran away, I met up with him, and the rest is history." She explained with a smile.

"Tis a pleasure to meet you, your highness." I said while curtsying.

"You may call me Cor," he replied while grinning, "And it is a pleasure to meet you, as well, my lady."

"Please, do call me Corianda," I said.

"Corianda, I would love to take you on a tour of the castle," Aravis said, "We could catch up."

"I would love that, Aravis."

Cor chuckled, "You two girls go have fun, but, Aravis please don't overdo it, alright?"

"Don't worry, Cor," she said as she pushed towards the doors. When they were finally shut behind us, Aravis grinned, "He's such a worry wart!"

After that she showed me the whole of the castle, from the grand and spacious dining hall to the beautiful gardens in the court yard. It was gorgeous! Castles back in Calormen are so dark and musty; it is as if they never see the light. This castle was so different. It was full of life and beauty, and it was very refreshing. As I was pondering this, Aravis interrupted my thoughts.

"Corianda, there is something I want to talk to you about,"

"Yes," I said, fearing what she was going to say, "What is it?"

"You've been lying to everyone here, and I know it, and I also believe that you know that I know it."

I sighed, "You're right. I knew that you'd catch on. Only someone from back home could know that."

"Why are you lying?"

"Because I want a new life, free of the complications of the old one."

"So you don't want people to know that you're a-"

"No! Please, Aravis don't say anything about it to anyone."

"Alright, but that doesn't mean that I like it." She sighed.

And with that, we headed towards the dining hall for dinner.

_**What do you guys think Corianda is lying about? PM me with your guesses! As always, please read and review! Until next time! :)**_


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